[event_performance 4688]
Manchester City have the chance to clinch the Premier League title this evening if they beat Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.
This is how the teams shaped up for the big occasion:
Manchester City XI: Ederson, Danilo, Otamendi, Kompany, Delph, Fernandinho, Bernardo, Sterling, Gundogan, D Silva, Sane
Subs: Bravo, Laporte, Walker, Aguero, G Jesus, Yaya Toure, De Bruyne
Manchester United XI: De Gea, Valencia (c), Smalling, Bailly, Young, Matic, Ander Herrera, Pogba, Lingard, Lukaku, Alexis
Subs: J Pereira, Lindelof, Marcos Rojo, McTominay, Mata, Martial, Rashford.
Referee Martin Atkinson.
Making an entrance at the Etihad! 🔵 #cityvutd #mancity pic.twitter.com/XJnELtE33s
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 7, 2018
Team News
Four changes for Man City, recalling Danilo, Fabian Delph, Bernardo Silva and Raheem Sterling to the starting XI.
Sergio Aguero passes late fitness test but will start on the bench. Aguero has already rewritten many records this season and is only one goal shy to net his two hundredth City goal.
For Man United, Jose Mourinho gave an early team news and an update on team’s preparations:
“Everybody is coming back but Sergio [Romero] is injured,” he said.
“It’s been a good week,” he said. “I would say a normal week – no midweek match or Champions League for us, so more time to train. But a good normal week I would call it.”
What Happened ?
Jesse Lingard gets the match under way. City are starting to dominate possession, and are pushing their rivals back towards their own penalty box. Man City made a breakthrough with Vincent Kompany header. Leroy Sane whipped the corner in and Kompany’s header was absolutely clinical.
“I think he was being marked, five years ago from that same corner. He just gets the wrong side of him. Once it lands on Kompany’s head he powers it past De Gea!” says Neville of Sky Sports
Five minutes late Ilkay Gundogan scored a beauty with Sterling’s beautiful pass. The Blues in total control and Jose Mourinho’s men looks out of idea. They look in mood to do some destruction.
2012 💙 2018 pic.twitter.com/wlBbOwjD7Y
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 7, 2018
Raheem Sterling then squandered two glorious chances to put the game to bed.
Halftime: Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United – City are 45 minutes away from the Premier League title.
Manchester United get back into the second half as they are the better team on the ball pressuring City’s defence. Paul Pogba scored twice inside the 10 minutes of second half stunned Guardiola’s men.
Mourinho have definitely got some motivational words in the dressing room. They are much composed team in the second half. The visitors have completed an astounding comeback to now lead 3-2. Sanchez with a magnificent free-kick in the box and Smalling home on the volley.
The end of the match was a furious free-for-all, in which a number of players might have been sent off. An incredible match, and City will have to wait a little bit longer for their crown.
Full Time: Man City 2-3 Man United
— Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) April 7, 2018
Pep Guardiola: “Get away, sorry?
“The first half the game was over, they recover but it’s okay so we just a little bit sad for our fans, for our people, for our players.
“Football is boxes, what you put in the box you have a good chance to get a result.
“I didn’t see it [the penalty].
“They found the game, they found the actions, it’s Manchester United but we have done everything today.
“No I don’t think so [players losing focus], we have a lot of quality and a lot of goals as we saw in the first half, we need to be more focused in the set pieces.
“Did we play bad?
“They had four chances, but we don’t concede too much during the season.
“We will see, heads up and step forward.
“We say we are here and we try to do it.”
